We are of The Day!
Kid Tested, Mother Approved: Pesto
What is is with children and condiments? Years ago, while working at a daycare, I was shocked at the amount of ketchup those kids could consume! We're talking an equal ratio of ketchup to whatever (crap) food product they were dipping into it. Truly impressive.
My daughter is also a lover of smears, but as my child has more refined tastes. Her spread of choice? Sun-dried tomato pesto. I kid you not! She will (and does!) eat the stuff by the bowlful!
In Mason City, where Erik's parents live, there's a delightful little restaurant that serves excellent dishes made with as many local foods as they can get their hands on. It's named "Ralph's" and we are well known there. On our last visit I found myself almost wishing the server seating us hadn't confirmed "Your family is grain-free, correct?" as she led us to our table so as to not blow the girls and I's cover with my husband and father-in-law. No way to pretend this trip was a special occasion at that point! Oh, well... at least, as their best customer, they shared the pesto recipe with me!
The recipe is perfect on its own, but I gave it some tweaks so as to be able to not make a special trip to the stores. I also made it two ways: one with standard dried and stored in a bag tomatoes, and once with dried and stored in olive oil tomatoes as the recipe hadn't specified which. I am quite sure they use the oil packed ones as the bright red color fades otherwise. Ralph's uses Parmesan as their cheese of choice. I used Asiago as I had it on hand and personally, I enjoy the bite. If you want a more subtle flavor, then by all means: use the Parm.
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
1/2 cup packed basil
1 mounded cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (save the oil from the jar)
1/4-1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese (or Parmesan)
extra Olive Oil just in case
Here's how you do it: Throw the first two ingredients into your food processor and let the blade spin until everything is nicely chopped and blended. Now add the cheese and the oil from the jar and let the blade whirl some more. At this point you should be done. If you feel it is too crumbly or dry you can add more olive oil until you are happy with the consistency. This pesto is so delicious!
If you are going to make it using dried tomatoes from a bag, you will definitely need extra oil in the ballpark of 1/4-1/2 cups. The color will also be much darker. In the above picture, we are serving the tomato pesto on top of stew. The darker colored layer on the bottom is the recipe made with bagged tomatoes while the redder pesto on top is the same recipe made from tomatoes bought in oil. We prefer the recipe made with the oil soaked dried tomatoes.
Which way do you prefer it?
This post is part of Two for Tuesday's and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday's, and Real Food Wednesday's, Friday Foodie Fix, Gluten Free Wednesdays. Pennywise Platter
That's it! Third sundried tomato pesto I've seen today. The universe is telling me I neeeeed some now!!! I know I'd like it either way, but I'll probably use oil packed since I have some at home. Deeeelicious! Thank you for sharing this with us at Two for Tuesdays this week! =)
You are welcome! And as always: Thanks for hosting!
i cannot wait to try it!!! :D
Hi, I could not locate your blog by the post you left on mine. You named my cheese recipe (gouda....) It was adorable and I think I should change it, if I remember. I wanted to find you so I could thank you. Glad I found your blog, just for the sake of the blog.
I meant to write in my previous post, how much I love the idea of the tomato pesto. This one, I have to try. So far, my pesto has been green. Time for a change for the better.
Hello Ambre and welcome to the two for tuesday recipe blog hop! I am so glad to see you linking up this week! I love to visit with blogs new to the hop! Your recipe looks great and I am giggling at your comment about your daughter's finer tastes for smears. Mine are the same! Wasabi mayonaisse anyone? Thanks again for linking and I hope to see you again next week! Alex@amoderatelife
Chaya- Welcome! And I'm glad you liked the name! Any time. :) Hope to hear you around here often! Alex- Haha! I'm not sure if wasabi mayo would fly around here or not. My husband tricked her into eating it when she was only like fifteen months old and it made her cry. I'm not sure how big of an imprint that left! I think it sounds delicious though! Our girls would probably hit it off well on a play date. :)
Yum, yum, yum! I am definitely trying this. It sounds delicious.
Great, Stacy! Let me know how it turns out!:) Thanks for stopping by!
I wish more kids had a taste for sundried tomato pesto. Even the best ketchup is mostly sugar. I'm going to make some homemade sun-dried tomatoes this year, and I think they are destined to end up in a pesto like this. Thank you for sharing the recipe with the blog hop at Two for Tuesday.
I'm hoping to dry my own this summer as well! May the good Lord bless us!
How amazingly simple for all that wonderful taste! Thanks for linking this to Two for Tuesdays!
I bet that does taste great. When I first saw the photo I was wondering why some of it was darker. Thanks for explaining.